Thoughts, opinions, remembrances, appreciations, photos and essays on Kansas City and jazz

Monday, November 4, 2013

In Lieu of 1000 Words: Kelley Hunt and the Messenger Legacy Band

Reasonable people could reasonably disagree over how many acts on the main stage of Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Jazz and Blues Festival were actually jazz or blues. But neither of these two acts would be in question.

Kelley Hunt’s music breathes the blues, with an undercurrent of gospel and a splashy dose of boogie-woogie. The festival’s main stage couldn’t have opened with more vibrancy or life than Kelley gave it.

The Messenger Legacy Band is assembled with representatives from several generations of Art Blakey’s legendary Jazz Messengers. Led by drummer Ralph Peterson, the band includes bassist Reggie Workman – whose fame includes stints with John Coltrane – alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, tenor saxophonist Billy Pierce, trumpeter Brian Lynch and pianist Donald Brown.

The crowd was building by the time the Messenger Legacy Band took the stage on October 12th. If you missed them, or Kelley Hunt, you can see below how the festival stage looked. As always, clicking on a photo should open a larger version of it.

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About Me

Once active with Kansas City's Jazz Festival and Jazz Commission, today I'm a fan. Kcjazzlark comes from KC and jazz (obviously) and (less obviously) from portions of my first and last name. Comments here are welcome, or I can be reached at kcjazzlark(at)gmail(dot)com